Beginning July 4th, science fiction and fantasy fans will be given a
new place where they can discover authors and stories they’ll be able
to enjoy wherever they go.  Flagship, the new e-zine by publisher
Flying Island Press, will soon be releasing these stories in formats
for the Kindle, the iPad and iPhone, and other electronic readers.

Flying Island Press also recognizes the increasing popularity of
podcasts and other forms of audio fiction.  So, in addition to the
e-zine, an audio version will be available to listen to on any MP3
player.  Stories they release will be available both in text and in
audio, allowing the consumer to choose their preferred version.

Zach Ricks, managing editor for Flagship, had this to say.  “I wanted
to hearken back to what some have called the Golden Age of Science
Fiction.”  It’s his hope that “FlagShip will be a place for
optimistic, entertaining fiction.”

Each issue will cost $1.99 for the text version or the audio version
or get both for just $2.99.

Issues will be available starting July 4th, 2010 at
http://flyingislandpress.com/flagship

I plan to make this available on the Kindle also.

For promotion I may give away review copies and run some other giveaways. Keep an eye out here for details.

Pilgrim’s Progress: Similitude Of A Dream is the first part of a remake of the classic story. It takes the original plot and ideas of the story, and converts them into an exciting reimagining of the original, and in an audio drama format. In the intro, Paeter, the writer and producer of the project, explains that his desire is to make a version of the story that will appeal to todays audiences. I was glad when he said that the rule of thumb was to add before subtracting. I can say that these motives and ideas have worked out well.

When I listened, I first listened to the bonus content first. This was a reading of the original text of the first section of Pilgrim’s Progress. Paeter reads this and does an excellent job. I found my mind wandering just a bit here and there due to the writing style. While understandable well read, it is still an older book, and not written in a style you or I am used to in today’s modern writing. The audio drama on the other hand was a different experience.

Similitude Of A Dream starts off by dumping the listener into an unfamiliar world, even for someone who knows the original story well. Soon though, the parallels to the original reveal themselves. What I liked about this was that is adds a depth to the story and layers upon what I already knew, so even though I had just listened to the original story, I was completely engaged. Though each plot point is essentially the same, there is so much more on top, that it is an entirely different experience.

If you’re not familiar with the original, the story follows Pilgrim, a man who has found that the world is not quite how he suspected and dire things are about to happen. He finds that he carried a burden and has no idea how to be rid of it. He tries to convince others of what he believes, but no one listens. The story unfolds as he travels across the land and discovers many things and learns the truth.

The production quality is fantastic. The voice acting is top notch and natural sounding. The music and effects blend well. The sound levels are good because even with the sound low, I had no trouble hearing the different parts.

If you are a fan on the original, I really think you will like Similitude Of A Dream. If you have never read Pilgrim’s Progress, here is your chance. The story is filled with adventure, wonder, and action.

This is only the first installment and I can’t wait to hear the rest of the story.

Purchase Similitude of a Dream directly from Spirit Blade via digital download.

I find myself spreading out my writing over the web. Hopefully this means when I start my own podcast for free, and my planned story subscription service (something like Jeremy C Shipp does), I’ll have ready audience with open ears.

In the process of trying to discover what was needed for the spell, Tatch had discovered some other helpful spells, such as a spell that increased learning ability, a charm for school desks that helped focus students attentions, and a enchantment for books that would cause any book enchanted with the spell to speak the words on its pages to anyone who wanted to hear. This was a big hit for drivers who went on long caravan travels, merchants with long routes, and workers with less mind intensive jobs. All could listen to the words in the books while still being able to work on other tasks. These were all great spells that helped the world, but they did not help anyone who was losing their memory. Tatch found some of his research papers, sat down to work on them, and found himself staring at them wondering what he was trying to do. He realized that he had forgotten again, knew it was incredibly important, and clamped his hands down on his wizard’s hat in distress and began to cry.

Quirl, Tatch’s familiar saw this and resolved to do something about it. Quirl was a brightly colored bird who had once been injured and on the brink of death, but Tatch had took him in and healed him and imbued magical abilities upon him, including speech and morphed talons that allowed him to carry a larger range of objects that normal. Quirl was very sad to see Tatch in such distress and flew out if the azure spire and rose in the winds above the city.

Tatch’s tower rose high into the skies above the city of Melange. Melange used to be a frontier town with very little to offer anyone except for a bit of lodging and rest on the way between larger cities. It had been settled by the survivors of the rampage of Ghast the Black Dragon. Ghast had destroyed three large cities that were near each other and the few survivors banded together to form a new town, Melange. They had nothing to almost nothing to their names, but they survived. Tatch had arrived one day in Melange, set up a small tent, and proceeded to perform little tasks around the town for free. He helped crops grow better, weather stay a bit nicer, and even gave the food in the inns an extra special zing that travellers began to notice. Soon the town began to get more business and grow. After just a few years, the town was a city, a hub among all the large cities, and a true home for Tatch. The spire was a tower of life to the city. Tatch had done so much for Melange and its citizens, and continued to do so to this day, and had never asked for anything in return. Quirl knew it was time for them to give back, and he knew that asking was almost more effort than was required to make it happen.

Quirl flew through the town, stopping to talk to citizens of Melange at many shops, inns, and residences. He spoke mainly to people who had been in Melange from its beginning. He told them of Tatch’s plight. He was losing his memory, but he was trying to discover what was needed for a spell that would heal his memory and the memory of others who were forgetting. The citizens listened, held meetings, and decided what they needed to do.

Everyone who was able went into Tatch’s spire. They began to recount tales of their memories of Tatch any time he was not able to remember something he needed to for his research. The sparking of old memories rejuvenated his mind for short periods and allowed him to continue his efforts. Tatch had never been a very organized wizard, so many helped put notes and books and papers into an organized system which helped Tatch find things easier. Others helped with small experiments, made food for Tatch and everyone else helping, and before too long, Tatch had a breakthrough.

After researching tediously over many months, Tatch discovered what was needed for the spell. He had found the right ingredients, special words, and complex gestures required to rework the mind so it would stop forgetting, and even remember what had been forgotten. It took him a long time to cast in on himself, and he needed much help to get through it for his mind was in and out of usefulness quite more often than before, but after several false starts and failed attempts, he cast it successfully. His memories flooded back to him, and stayed.

The city of Melange thrived on. Tatch shared the spell with the world and many older wizards were able to regain their memories. Even the elderly of non-wizardly nature were healed of similar plights. The research of the spell led to many other discoveries that led to spells that healed many with diseases of the mind, dementia, schizophrenia, and psychosis. The world never forgot about it, either.